No Fussing,No Cussing

I am still here in Fort Meade,Maryland ..however the sand in the hourglass is slowly running out,soon it will be time to wind my way back to Casa Sanctuary. This past weekend I had a faboo time with my friend Bubba D(Daniel) in New Jersey and New York.

Pulling myself away from my little button was difficult..but the creative call was strong so off i went.My intention was to take the Amtrak Train to New Jersey since it was a easy 2.5 hour ride,it wasn't meant to be dollar wise as the close to three hundred dollar return trip price tag was far from my budget..so i chose the no frill 5 hour Greyhound Bus Ride.

Greyhound never disappoints in a good ride. I make my way to DC to catch the bus for 12:30pm..exiting from the DC Union metro station. There large as life is a beautiful red high heeled shoe, I laugh out loud well ya see I've been struggling somewhat with connecting to my next solo show content and the universe smacked me right upside the head with big red shoe!!!! Ding,Zing my creative mind is in full wake up mode and i know I've arrived.

The title of this blog came from my first leg of my trip on Greyhound with Driver Dwayne. The itinerary is laid out along with bus rules one of those being cell phones",Keep your cell phones on vibrate, Keep your conversations on the downlow and remember when u are on the phone none of us want to here you so remember No Fussing, No Cussing"

Its Friday and people are traveling about for the weekend,the bus was semi packed upon arrival in Baltimore i was aware that this particular journey was gonna be full,I'm situated in the back hoping that just maybe the seat next to me would remain empty,as i look up down the aisle sideways well hmm a linebacker (my visual observation of him) plunks himself beside me then inquires as to if i have enough room. We have a chat that linebacker and I and he's from the Bronx and is curious about me from Canada,now let me tell ya this guy was edgey with manners quite a combo but i sensed that a strong mama instilled those manners in him... Finally overtime greyhound pulls into New Jersey station right in the middle of rush hour!!!!

Daniel and I are in take off mode to his studio for which i am excited about...The building that Daniels studio is in is a federal building so security is tight. The funny thing is that down a hall from the studios are the Immigration offices..hmm creativity and immigration now that pushes the imagination lol lol..

Daniel in my opinion is a very talented artist,his medium is Text and his abilities to use it in different ways which is a huge example of the most recent work of his that i wanted to see up close and personal.When i saw this Text Mural it was overwhelming but in a fantastic way.There is no right way to begin and end in reading. Its very open ended and dimensional.

Saturday comes with blue skies and we're heading to New York for the day.....Yahoo!!!
Its early afternoon and as we cross the bridge into New York,I literally could feel the change in energy.....

We ended up in Soho, on a mission we were going to" Levis Workshop" This is a pop up store totally supported by Levis Jeans and guess what all of it is free a rare concept in New York.. Please go the links and read what this is all about in more detail than i provide here. The short of it is its a Photographers Dream wheather u are an amateur or a professional...One of the areas at the Levi Workshop was a vintgage camera rental,pick your camera and go on a journey and take pics inside or our...our camera choice was a Large Poliroid and out we went treking about Soho,camera was to be returned by 8pm..it wasn't an easy thing using this particular camera and deciding what to shoot.....My head was spinning as we went in and out of stores,galleries etc.it was a blast...We returned to the Workshop and finished off out film inside and got some fun shots. Next u scan,then u can either print out your chosen print onto a tshirt or a large poster. Unfortuantely the lineups were long,however Daniel is going to return.

The fun part we both enjoyed was the photobooth ...What i enjoyed was that time flew as we interactively played with this medium i think for both of us that it was more than b point and shoot. The atmosphere was eclectic,stimulating,challenging and really a hell of alot of fun!!!

Night was upon us and were starving so off to eat at Lucky Strike....well our food choices were simple ,burgers with one beer each. Our burger meal was $43.00 well only in New York lol lol lol

It was a short whirlwind visit full of wonder with a fantastic creative boost that was very welcome. I am going to certainly revisit more time in New York in the near future.

I am holding my mini muse Olivia reflecting on my weekend away full of graditude..

Thanx for joining me on my travels...YA!!!!!

For More Info regarding the Levis Workshop I visited : http://workshops.levi.com/

In Artistic Solidarity;
Rhonda

Creative Xpansion

Well Hey There;

I send u warm greetings from Maryland,USA...this is my home base for awhile as the blessed Nanna baby Olivia Lee Thompson was born on October 30th weighing in at 7lbs 9.7 oz. and my bias self thinks that she is the most beautiful baby in the whole wide world.

Life places one where they need to be to learn what is to be seen in the now..I was there for the birth of Olivia and it was the most amazing experience that will stay with me for a long time. To witness new life incoming,no one could have told me how it impacts the deepest depths of your soul. I am totally away from my studio and that has been an adjustment mind u i have been sleep deprived until today, also thought i had lost my creative mojo,but alas its right here in me and i feel it coursing through me at light speed.

I've been thinking the last few days about a title for this particular writing and it kept going back to creative expansion...The experience that I've had regarding Olivia's birth began when my daughter told me she was pregnant and little did i know how fitting the title would be as i write this i realize that a new muse has come into being. Now that i am rested each time i hold/cuddle my "little button"(Olivia) something is happening inside,I see images,words,colors,art pieces that come clearly into my mind. This new little life is full of Technicolor she makes me laugh,become emotional and very protective. I remember these feeling well as Taylor my daughter had been my muse for many years before she went out on her own.

I missed the unspoken/spoken connection my daughter and I had for years when it came to my creativity,she was a natural born creative critic and an awesome perspective on assisting me in seeing my creations in different ways and i have these feelings with Olivia it makes me want to create,make,think,feel the art in ways that I've not experienced before.

Its good to expand ways of being as an artist. Although i am here to soak up baby love,its also a working time for me.. When i first arrived it was very difficult to do a little bit of work as i was pushing myself when i wasn't ready to do anything but just be and enjoy what was happening. In the past 48 hours that has changed,i feel creatively alive again filled up with possibilities just imagine i am in the presence of my two muses my daughter and granddaughter!!!! How lucky and grateful i feel knowing that i am walking the path i am meant to..

The upcoming 2011 is becoming clearer as i move forward with less trepidation, I can't wait to share whats upcoming..Thanx so much my dear readers for your support,encouragement,insights and just plain being there...what a difference many of u continue to make in my life. So please enjoy the pics of "Little Button" Take Care

In Artistic Solidarity;
A Happy Nanna Rhonda

Pictures:

1.6 day old Olivia holding her Olivia Pig

2. Fort Meade Military base

3. Nanna taking little button for her first walk

4. Little Button chillaxing

5. hours old

6. Miss.Olivia weighing in at an hour old

7.Mama Taylor holding her daughter after delivery

8-10. Taylor's Belly Cast by mom and TJ lending a hand

Perspective...............

Hi All;

I am writing this to u live from outside Washington DC awaiting the birth of my upcoming Nana Babe(translated:grandbaby) I'm still a tad jet lagged and adjusting to the 3 hr ahead time change.Its a working holiday while here with loads of flexibility.

The show must go on....I am going to work on my upcoming ideas for my show in May 2011 while here and feel that I am surrounded by perspective,when one is in need of a change up in perspective then move on, mind u it doesn't have to be as far as I've come something as simple as walking outside your familiar space.

I really am in love with where I do reside,what I love is the peace,tranquility,being surrounded by nature,huge privacy factor. the downside is that I am a distance from amenities that offers choices,friends,west coast express(brings me closer to Vancouver) ,international airport. Although I have come to the realization that I am a country gal first its that going back to my roots and a appreciation for the city as long as I not living there full time..visiting works. My daughter and her husband live on a military base and let me tell u that is a mind trip in itself.

My daughter warned me of Military music that is played 3x a day here...so the first morning here I literally bolted out of bed yelling"Holy Fuck" , blasting at 6:30 am and I mean blasting all over the base through loud speakers is the wake up military music.

u hear different military music at 5:30pm and a night night at 9:00pm.Really!!! I wouldn't mind if it was music from my fave soul singer but no I do not know this music and did I say how damn loud it was....Talk about perspective..still working that one out.

I've been chillaxing in the short time i've been here..It feels good!!!!

Well dear readers thanx for dropping in good to see ya.....Time for me to partake in some creativity which will bring me back to u with pics..Stay Tuned!!!!

May your days be filled with creativity..

In Artistic Solidarity;

Rhonda

1. My view of serenity when i am working at the gallery

2. Taylor's pumpkin with ears(chuckle)

3. Katies kewl pumpkin

4. My painted pumpkin

5. Katie carving

6.Taylor carving

7.In the beginning Taylor and Katie

8. Pick a pumpkin any pumpkin

9. Taylor and moi,a visit to the pumpkin patch

10. Almost Olivia

11. Taylor preparing for breastfeeding,milking a cow

12. Kaspers cat sitter/buddy

13. kewl eh!!! made by my gal pal Tina and its all mine

Steppin.............

Howdy;
How ya all doing? Its always on my mind to update here while days pass me by...but here i am now..Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian family and friends...As i write this i return from a peaceful walk about the lake out here in the out back of Harrison Hot Springs. I am recovering from a nasty flu bug that took ahold of me hard and fast..

My second year of my Artist Residency unfolds with a full schedule..all about changes.. I am happy to announce that i have opened up office/studio space in Mission BC. Mission has a larger population base that i can draw from for workshops,art parties and private one to one facilitation.

So my schedule is as follows this year:

2 days per week in Mission

1 day in Alternative School in Agassiz

2 days in Gallery

2 days in Studio

This is a tight schedule which at moments has left me overwhelmed,however I will be working with a life coach in the next little while regarding my creative biz in Mission. Walking this creative path brings up all sorts of interesting inner sights.

My second and final solo show in May 2011 at Ranger Station Art Gallery is an installation piece called "Sole Mate" more details will come in the new year.

Yes i do have time for me , its been interesting as soon enough i will need to make decisions as to where i will be going next...and my tendency is to go way ahead of myself instead of staying in the now.

Mind u the most exciting aspect of my life is the upcoming birth of my grandbaby this all being a whole new phase on the creative journey,so i will spend time hanging out with my daughter and her evolving family...

There is so much peace and quiet out here that i appreciate everyday and its something that i don't become tired of...Thursdays is my day in the school in Agassiz,so we created "Personal Shields" as of late my studio has been where i drop off stuff or packing up stuff that goes to Agassiz or Mission.

Not much creativity has been cooking there,last week before i got hit with the flu i tackled it and got it all cleaned,it felt like many weights had been lifted.. then i needed to do a sample for the school and i became lost in all my creative stuff and supplies..If heaven is like an art studio then sign me up..

I felt so much better inside and out and truly could see clearly...Last year i went from 5 days of studio work to i am lucky with my new schedule to get in there for the 2 days..however its an important part of who i am..

I share all of this with u,because i am sure many of u have noticed how crazy the world is out there. Doing something that is positive,proactive and brings joy is worth making it a priority in your life....Let me tell ya its worth and so are u....

After all of this writing i am off to the studio...Good Day to Ya

In Artistic Solidarity;
Rhonda